Finding success in one food truck, Bellingham owner gets ready to add another
Here’s a roundup of recent retail activity in Whatcom County:
▪ It turns out operating a food truck is more than a stepping stone to owning a brick-and-mortar business. It can be a successful venture in itself.
Karl Shilhanek has learned that lesson as he embarks on a food truck expansion project. Shilhanek, who runs Kebab Casual food truck 2604 Meridian St., is planning to open a second food truck operation sometime in March. That truck will be called Carve Casual, serving rotisserie chicken, sandwiches with house-roasted meat, poutine, soups and salads.
Carve Casual is expected to be a regular mainstay next to Kulshan Brewery’s K2 facility at 1538 Kentucky St., being open seven days a week to matching brewery’s hours, Shilhanek said.
After Shilhanek started Kebab Casual in 2018, he had a brick-and-mortar restaurant in mind as a next step. But along the way, he learned that you can make quality meals in a small space. His Mediterranean dishes include locally sourced ingredients and halal meat.
He also learned that as a food truck, staying in one place is helpful when it comes to the quality of his meals. It took longer to build sales, but Kebab Casual now has a strong customer base on Meridian Street.
“It’s turned into a neighborhood go-to spot,” Shilhanek said.
With Carve Casual, Shilhanek wants to build on that quality meal preparation. A former employee of Bellingham manufacturer Wood Stone Corp., he’s putting in the company’s vertical rotisserie chicken equipment in the truck. He’s also hired local chef Audrey Powell to design the meals.
Kebab Casual encourages online ordering when it comes to picking up food. Further details about the company can be found on its website.
▪ Uptown Art announced on social media that it has decided to close permanently. The business, which was a gathering place to paint, hang out and drink wine at 810 Harris Ave. in Fairhaven, just couldn’t hang on long enough to outlast the pandemic, according to the Facebook post.
▪ The Black Drop Coffeehouse announced on social media that it is temporarily closing until COVID-19 is more under control. At this point, the plan is to reopen in April.
“Our business model, a community space, is meant to be enjoyed with our community. A takeout-only coffee model doesn’t financially work for our business,” according to the Facebook post.
Black Drop’s last day before temporarily closing is Monday, Jan. 11. Customers can swing by and pick up Maniac Coffee beans to help get through the closure.
▪ Carnal, the restaurant that recently opened on 1234 N. State St. in downtown Bellingham, is trying out a side business during the pandemic. It’s called Comrade, and is offering sandwiches to go. It is in a soft-opening phase, but is offering sandwiches including a spicy fried chicken and a short rib burger, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Details can be found at eatcomrade.com.
▪ A building permit application was submitted to put in a coffee shop at the Granary Building on Bellingham’s waterfront called Black Fern Coffee Shop.
▪ D’Anna’s Cafe Italiano at 1317 N. State St. is the latest local restaurant to set up a large tent in its parking lot for outdoor seating. The restaurant is open 4-8 p.m. every day.
▪ Lynden-based Simple Box Storage recently expanded, opening a new location in Buckeye, Arizona, to serve the Phoenix area.
The company rents and sells shipping containers that are used for storage or moving. It also has eight other locations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
The business is operated by Ross Black, who started the company as part of a Lynden High School senior project.
This story was originally published January 10, 2021 at 9:00 AM.
